Seagate SkyHawk AI 24TB Internal HDD

I had initially bought the Seagate Barracuda 8TB for slightly less money than this, but on installing it in a Linux box and setting it up as an NFS share over my gig network at home to use for backing up files, I encountered the dreaded SMR speed issue when randomly selecting and dragging files to be backed up - I was seeing average transfer speeds of 3.5 to 4.0 MB/s with that SMR drive, which would have meant 3 months to backup what I've earmarked for that at 2 hours a night, 7 days a week! So armed with new knowledge of the problem with SMR drives I returned the 8TB Seagate and bought this 6TB CMR drive. I got home, installed it in the...view more I had initially bought the Seagate Barracuda 8TB for slightly less money than this, but on installing it in a Linux box and setting it up as an NFS share over my gig network at home to use for backing up files, I encountered the dreaded SMR speed issue when randomly selecting and dragging files to be backed up - I was seeing average transfer speeds of 3.5 to 4.0 MB/s with that SMR drive, which would have meant 3 months to backup what I've earmarked for that at 2 hours a night, 7 days a week! So armed with new knowledge of the problem with SMR drives I returned the 8TB Seagate and bought this 6TB CMR drive. I got home, installed it in the Linux box as an NFS share, and voila! What a difference! Random writes of various size files across the network and I'm getting 80-90 MB/s transfer speed. So a vastly better result for the use case.... I could have deducted a point for noisy heads, but I'll forgive the drive that for the excellent performance I'm seeing.

I recently upgraded my video surveillance MVR system with the Seagate SkyHawk Internal Hard Drive, and the difference has been outstanding. Not only is it the best value for money in its class, but it also performs better than the original drive that came with the system.

Designed specifically for 24/7 surveillance workloads, the SkyHawk runs quietly, cool and reliably, even with continuous write operations from multiple camera streams. I’ve noticed smoother video playback and quicker access to recorded footage since the upgrade.

It’s also built to handle the heavy read/write demands of high-resolution cameras without lag or stutter.

...view more I recently upgraded my video surveillance MVR system with the Seagate SkyHawk Internal Hard Drive, and the difference has been outstanding. Not only is it the best value for money in its class, but it also performs better than the original drive that came with the system.

Designed specifically for 24/7 surveillance workloads, the SkyHawk runs quietly, cool and reliably, even with continuous write operations from multiple camera streams. I’ve noticed smoother video playback and quicker access to recorded footage since the upgrade.

It’s also built to handle the heavy read/write demands of high-resolution cameras without lag or stutter.

If you’re looking to upgrade or replace a drive in your NVR/MVR system, the Seagate SkyHawk is a rock-solid choice. It delivers performance, reliability, and value — exactly what’s needed for surveillance setups. Highly recommended.

This drive is what we needed to replace striped disk IO in a RIP. This drive is what we needed to replace striped disk IO in a RIP.

- cheaper alternative
- plug and play setup
- decent IOPS
- wish there was an enclosure included for this. - cheaper alternative
- plug and play setup
- decent IOPS
- wish there was an enclosure included for this.

I purchased this online and it was delivered promptly. It installed easily. Windows 11 did not find the drive and self install it. This was due to the drive not being pre partitioned and formated. I had to get a third party partition tool and format it before it would work with win11. Good product, it would of been easiler if the drive was formated. I purchased this online and it was delivered promptly. It installed easily. Windows 11 did not find the drive and self install it. This was due to the drive not being pre partitioned and formated. I had to get a third party partition tool and format it before it would work with win11. Good product, it would of been easiler if the drive was formated.

Note: HDD can be initialized through disk management in Windows. Note: HDD can be initialized through disk management in Windows.

PB Tech 14/04/25

This type of drive is optimized for recording video but it seems really robust and was a good price. This type of drive is optimized for recording video but it seems really robust and was a good price.

I do a lot of design work and would only recommend for file storage.
Install your Apps on a SSD! I do a lot of design work and would only recommend for file storage.
Install your Apps on a SSD!

Bought as a replacement HDD for my home media server. Passed all the run-in checks no problem and read/write performance seems good. Can't go too far wrong for the price and being CMR is a nice touch. Bought as a replacement HDD for my home media server. Passed all the run-in checks no problem and read/write performance seems good. Can't go too far wrong for the price and being CMR is a nice touch.

Great price. A perfect fit for my NVR. Great price. A perfect fit for my NVR.

CMR drive means it will work with ZFS and file servers, it has a similar life span to your average nas drive with far less cost, performs about as well as long as you get the CMR versions not the SMR versions

in answer to the other guys review, no they don't initialize internal disks from the factory, they never have(more than 30 years of buying drives here) because some people need a GPT format some need MBR (only usb externals get a default format)

if you ever got an internal drive that was initialized congrats, you found a working return that then got sold to you as new :P CMR drive means it will work with ZFS and file servers, it has a similar life span to your average nas drive with far less cost, performs about as well as long as you get the CMR versions not the SMR versions

in answer to the other guys review, no they don't initialize internal disks from the factory, they never have(more than 30 years of buying drives here) because some people need a GPT format some need MBR (only usb externals get a default format)

if you ever got an internal drive that was initialized congrats, you found a working return that then got sold to you as new :P

Are manufacturers not initializing drives now? The drive will require partitioning before formatting. Its probably due to most NVRs automatically doing this but windows PCs wont. We are using it for mega long term storage and should do the job. Are manufacturers not initializing drives now? The drive will require partitioning before formatting. Its probably due to most NVRs automatically doing this but windows PCs wont. We are using it for mega long term storage and should do the job.

easy to setup and connect just what you need for extra storage, easy to setup and connect just what you need for extra storage,